Method for making fashioned hosiery



A 1930.. w n BUTZ 1,777,910

uBfl-IOD ton MAKING FASHIONED n'o'smRY 4 Original Filed Nov. 14, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l l Oct. 7, 1930. x w 1 BUTZ METHOD FOR MAKING FASHIONED noslnaf Original Filed Nov. 14, 1923 3 Sheets-Shut 2 Oct. 7, 1930. w. o. BUTZ IETHOD FOR MAKING FASHIONED HOSIERY .5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Nov. 14. 1923 Patented Oct. 7, 1930 I UNITED TATES PATENT. OFFICE- awima n. B z, F nomiswews, emmsmvlxmir i i'mrnon FOR MAKING rn'snironnn nosrn'ar e Application filed November 14, 1923, Serial No. 674,725. s The objectof this fan improvement 1n fashioned by cutting away portions of the tubular fabric. 7 H 1,, j e f A furthen object of the invention s to provide a method by meansof Which stockings of'this class may be made to conform more closely towthe shape of the human leg.

madein thatthey may; fashioned accord exactitude.

but which can be manufactured at a much}: smaller cost thanthe latter and w th greater rapidity.

vision ofnovel mechanism by means of which this method of manufacturinghosiery may s :bepracticed to goodtadvantage A5 l t understood Theinvention will be readily 1 from the attached drawings in which Figure 1, is aside elevation of apparatus designed for orking my method of manul factors; 1 i e a If n litsrre nt I ing board 2,

Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the apparai us;

. Fig. 3, sa more or less diagrammatic View t illustrating modified mechanism for practic ing the invention, and

Fig. 4c, is a still furthertmodification with in the scope ofthe' invention.

H N form comprises a base 1 to which is secured iiisnitable fashion a stock: adapted forj the recept on of I: seamless stockings knit? tnbnlar fabric ti on acircular st limitsfiin stockings.

size or shapeadaptedto retain the seamless stocking With the desireddegreefoii tautness lw u h e:

invention is to provide that class of stoclnngs, for1ned on; circular stocklng machines and suit the needs,

. In practicing F V ck-ing-knittinginachine. For theboardQyI may ntilize a standard seam- Renewed February 2?, i930. i ad sm to the' board 2, I a tas S- cure to the basel a second board 3, the upper end of which may correspond in general shape and d mensions with'a board such as 5 used for full fashloned stock ngs or stockings linit and fashionednpon the flatjr'nachine. As .yvill be apparent fromFigL 1, this latter board 3 wyhile adapted for the saine'size stocking' is of generally smaller dimensions at the it still further object of theinyentionis, to provide a practical method for manufacturing stockings which may be, termed tailorfashioned parts than the seamless board, and the board 3 is arranged to lie close'alonglside the board 2 with the front edges of the legs the two boards corresponding. Toinsiire the y e a e I gproper positioning of the board 3 with Ire Theiinvent onfnrther resides lIlthQPIO-h vision of a method of manufacturing stocka j ings hichvhavej the close f tting characterise, ,tics-of-the so-called full fashioned stockingfl ere toth'e boirdfQ I may secureto the former a laterally adjustable plate 4 which l l l p F l into the desireclposition. In the present The invention also contemplates the proinstance, I have shown the member 3 as coml prisin'gfa heavy base portion 6 which ispivoted at '7 to the base Land which has seciired at its ripper end in siiitable fashion, prefer tojthe corresponding portion of a standard full-fashion board. This detachable conandtheiipper edges of the foot portions of ing to. different specifications withv absolute;

struction provides means for replacing the part 8 with similar parts of ditferent shapes affordjdimensions and proportionsof the fashioned parts of the finished stoc z king to 'circnlarfmacjhine, which fstockingfis then the board, I may form a line'of drop stitches extending down the back center linefof the stocking" and under the foot totlie toe, this line being brought bythe operator directly 1 over the rear edggeof the form board. I then swing the member 3 from theposition shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 to the positionshoW-n in fulllines, after'which this board may be nse'd as atemplet toimark upon the stocking the outline ofthe part 8". templetis then v 'theinyention, r'first'iorm seamless stock ng 1n nsnalrnannennpon a ;With reference to the drawings,thedevice swung to the outward position, the stocking removed from the board 2, and out along the line marked as aforedescribed upon the stocking, the stocking being laid flat so that a symmetrical cut is formed around the rear center line defined by the line of drop stitches. In cutting the stocking along the marked line, it is preferred to use that type of machine which both cuts and scams, so that the cutting and the stitching may be done in a single operation.

lVhere in forming the seamless stocking machines are used'of the type which automatically forms the welt in the normal knitting operation, it is necessary to turn the stocking inside out before applying it to the board 2. Also in forming the stocking, the fabric of the seamless stocking may be made relatively tight at the ankle, as is customary in forming seamless stockings, or the fabric may be uniformly tightthroughout. In the latter case,

it will be advisable, in order to insurea uniform tautness of the fabric, to modify the shape of the board 2, making the breadth at the fashioned parts greater than normally they would be.

It will be apparent that templets of different shapes may be used, and that they may difable base 12.

fer in construction from that hereindescribed, it'bemg only necessary to provide sultable means for marking the desired outline upon the boarded stocking. I show for example in Fig. 3 an alternative device for marking the desired outline upon the stocking,which consists of printing means in the form of a press in which the boarded stocking is inserted. In this modification, the board is indicated by the reference numeral 10, and this board is pivotally secured at 11 upon a suit- Snitable means such as a lever 13 secured to an arm 14; upon the hub of the board 10 may be provided for swinging the form into a position within the printing apparatus 15. This latter apparatus may be of any suitable form, and I have shown it in the' present instance as comprising a fixed platen 16 and a plate 17 having thereon a suitable ridge or elevation 18 of the configuration which it is desired to mark upon the stocking. This ridge 18 may be coated with suitably colored ink and the plate 17 swung upon its hinges 19, 19, over against the platen 16, the stocking being held by an adjustable stop 20 in a proper position between the platen and the plate 17, as indicated in the drawings in broken lines.

This type of mechanism is also capable of modification, as illustrated in Fig. 4, inthe use of a turret 21 rotatably mounted upon a suitable axle 22, and having radial form boards 23, 23, secured thereto upon which the stocking may be placed. As the turret 21 rotates, the boards are passed between the platen 15 and the plate 17 of the aforedescribed printing device, and the plate 17 may be swung in against the stocking to mark thereon the desired configuration. In order to insure the boarded stocking assuming the proper position with respect to the marking element, a suitable spring stop 24 may be provided, which by engagement of suitable notches 25 in the turret insures the proper positioning. Suitable clamps 26 may also be provided on the boards to hold the stockings tight upon the boards. This device has a particular advantage in the fact that it is adapted for the automatic removal of the stockings from the boards after they have been printed, by revolving the turret 21 at a high velocity which will cause the stockings to leave the boards by centrifugal force. The stockings, however, if desired, may be withdrawn by hand or by separate mechanism adapted for that purpose.

so that the finished article need have no scam I under the heel, where a seam is apt to give discomfort.

In manufacturing the stocking, it also will be preferable to employ in the circular machine a needle head of a diameter great enough to give the top of the seamless blank sufiicient size to accommodate the upper leg of the wearer without requiring that the fabric be loose knit. This may be done, since in my stocking there is no necessity for forming the fabric of the seamless blank tighter at the ankle for the sake of fitting that part of the leg closely, the fashioning at that part being accomplished by cutting away the fabric in the manner set forth. This will also have the additional advantage of permitting the formation of a stocking the leg fabric of which is'uniform throughout and just as closely knit at the top as at the ankle, thus conforming more nearly to the full fashioned stocking as formed on the Hat machines. I

In utilizing the invention for making stockings according to given specifications, it is merely necessary to form a templet or marker proportioned accordingly and of such dimensions as to afford a proper degree of tautness in the fabric when applied to the person, these dimensions being not siery, which consists in taking a seamless stocking, boarding the stocking, laying a It will be apparent that by means of my I ill) 'secondboard of predetermined configuration against the first with front edges of the V properly positioning the stocking on a form board, placing the seamless stocklng upon a board adapted 'to maintain the fabric free from Wrinkes,outlining upon the fabric a predetermined configuration, cutting the fabric to said outline,

and joining the fabric at the severed edges to complete the stock mg. r

WALTER BUTZ. 

